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A  UTHOR : 


ARISTOTELES 


TITLE: 


HA-TAPUACH,  THE 
APPLE;  A  TREATISE  ON 


PLACE: 


NEW  YORK 


DA  TE : 


1885 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARIES 
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Ha-tapuaoh,  the  appler  a  treatise  on  the  Inmoiv^? 
tality  of  the  soul,  by  Aristotle,  the  Stagyrite, 
translated  from  the  Hebrew,. with  notes  and  apho- 
risms, by  Rev*  Dr#  Isidbr "Kaliseh.   Kew  York, 
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H^  -  TaPUACH: 


Th6  dApPLE. 


BY 


REV.    DR.    ISIDOR    KALISCH. 


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••••••i..'..-i>-:::::.-,v. 


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a  -TapuacliirD  Pte  iWple. 


A  TREATISE  ON 


Sl)e  3mmortaHti|  of  tt|f  Soul 


—  BY- 


ARISTOTLE,     THE     STAGYRITE. 
Translated    from    the    Hebrew, 

WITH  NOTES  AND  APHORISMS, 

—by- 
Rev.    Dr.    ISIDOR   KALISCH. 


I  • 


NEW  YORK: 
THE    AMERICAN    HEBREW,    498-  50O    THIRD  AVE.' 

1885. 

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51 

^1 


Translator's  Preface. 


PHIL.   COWEN,    PRINTER, 
498-500  THIRD   AVE.,    NEW    YORK. 


X 

^ 


The  present  little  work,  entitled  To  MpXov 
"the  apple,"  was  originally  composed  by  Aris- 
totle in  a  dialogue  with  his  disciples  during  the 
last  moments  of  his  life  (See  Zur  Geschichte  der 
Judischen  Poesiey  etc.,  von  Franz  Delitzsch,  Leip- 
zig. 1836,  p.  46).  It  was  translated  anonymously 
into  the  Arabian  language,  from  which  the  He- 
brew version  was  derived,  called  "Ha-Tapuach," 
the  Apple.  The  translation  from  the  Arabic 
was  made  by  Rabbi  Abraham,  son  of  Rabbi 
Samuel,  son  of  Rabbi  Chasdai  ha-Levi,  (Vide 
14th  letter  in  the  book  Igereth  ha-Morah,  Furth 
1846,)  who  lived  in  the  twelfth  century.  He 
was  a  contemporary  of  the  renowned  Hebrew 
grammarian  and  scholar,  David  Kimchi,  and  was 
Chief  Rabbi  at  Barcelona,  the  capital  of  the  Spa- 
nish province  Catalonia.  His  grandfather  Chasdai 
lived  in  the  tenth  century,  during  the  government 
of  the  caliph  Abderrahman  IH. 

This  caliph  once  received  from  the  Emperor  of 
Constantinople    a  Greek  manuscript  on  medical 


3C 


28541 n 


-  -*; 


^*<f.- 


«  t  «  *<•  «te  ?  *    ;     t  •    •      • 


.«• 


herbs,  VWii.Vas*^Q'rx<difftcult  to  decipher.  On 
the  recommendation  of  a  monk  named  Nicolai 
Chasdai  was  consulted  as  to  its  contents,  and 
rendered  their  meaning  with  such  accuracy  that 
the  caliph  not  only  appointed  him  physician,  but 
also  took  his  advice  in  political  affairs  of  the  high- 
est importance.  He  possessed  a  very  valuable 
library,  consisting  of  the  most  valuable  manu- 
scripts in  different  languages,  which  he  procured 
at  great  expense  for  the  benefit  of  a  Hebrew 
Academy  in  the  city  of  Sura,  in  Asia.  This  an- 
cient treasure  was  probably  inherited  by  Abraham, 
the  Hebrew  translator  of  this  little  book  of  Aris- 
totle. I  translated  it  from  the  Hebrew  into 
English,  and  is,  as  far  as  I  know,  the  first  trans- 
lation of  its  kind. 

It  contains  a  story  that  some  disciples  entered 
the  sick  room  of  Aristotle  to  pay  him  a  visit,  and 
urged  him  at  the  same  time  to  give  them  his 
ideas,  views  and  convictions  upon  the  immortal- 
ity of  the  soul.  He  granted  their  request,  but 
finally  referred  them  to  his  philosophical  works, 
especially  to  the  de  anima  libri  tres. 

This  work  is  generally  admitted  to  be  genuine. 
He  composed  it  when  he  was  teaching  at  the 
Lykeion  (Lyceum)  in  Athens. 

I  have  also  added  some  notes,   showing  the 


'  - ^ 


V. 


mistakes  which  were  made  in  ancient  times  and 
how  modern  sciences  corrected  them. 

Furthermore,  I  have  endeavored  to  enrich  this 
little  volume  with  all  that  I  found  in  the  pages  of 
the  renowned  philosophers  of  modern  times,  giv- 
ing their  bold,  argumentative  and  decisive  views 
concerning  the  immortality  of  the  souL 


I 


\ 


^ 


\ 


\ 


Ha-Tapuach:  The  Apple. 


Abraham  Halevi,  the  sonof  Chasdai,  states 
that  when  he  studied  this  essay,  which  was 
composed  by  Greek  philosophers,  and  be- 
came familiar  with  its  contents,  it  struck  him 
that  such  a  work  would  promote  virtue  and 
religion,  and  strengthen  imbeciles  in  faith  who 
cling  to  heretical  ideas,  and  proclaim  that 
nothing  substantial  is  left  of  man  after  depart- 
ing this  life,  holding  that  man  exists  only 
in  being  a  body,  and  in  death  is  utterly  anni- 
hilated.' 

In  proof  of  this  assertion,  they  adduce  the 
following  illustration  :  There  are  many  things 
which  are  composed  of  different  materials,  and 
only  when  these  materials  are  combined  do 
they  become  useful  to  us,  as.  for  instance, 
ink.'     A  combination  of  different  ingredients 


--/:•,• 


s 


produces  the  black  color  which  serves  us 
for  writing  purposes,  but  each  separate  sub- 
stance is  incapable  of  itself  to  furnish  the 
same  utility. 

In  this  fashion,  they  contend  against  the 
immortality  of  the  soul.  They,  of  whom  the 
prophet   says   are   an   abhorrence   unto    all 

flesh.  3 

Therefore,  I  rendered  the  version  of  the 
following  book  from  the  Arabic  into  the 
Hebrew  language,  and  which  begins  as  fol- 
lows : 

When  the  scholars  lost  the  way  of  truth, 
and  when  the  straight  road  which  leads  di- 
rectly to  it  became  obscured  to  the  rational- 
ists and  savans,  who  are  called  in  their  lan- 
guage philosophers  and  friends  of  wisdom, 
they  all  assembled  together  at  an  edifice  and 
concluded  unanimously  to  discover,  if  possi- 
ble, the  right  road  which  man  should  walk 
in  order  to  live  happy.  They  found  that  the 
true  elements  of  happiness  consisted  in  acting 


i 


towards  their  fellow  men  as  towards  them- 
selves, to  avoid  every  shameful  and  villainous 
behavior,  to  acknowledge  the  truth,  to  be 
resigned  to  the  will  of  God  and  to  adore  Him. 
There  lived  at  that  time  a  much  renowned 
man,  erudite  and  deeply  versed  in  art,  who 
was  called  Aristotle.  Wise  men  attended  his 
lectures  on  philosophy  and  were  edified  by 
them.  When  it  was  noised  abroad  that  he 
was  dangerously  ill,  and  that  his  final  hour 
was  fast  approaching,  all  the  wise  men  as- 
sembled together,  and  in  a  body  paid  him  a 
visit.  They  found  the  great  man  ravaged  by 
disease,  and  suffering  the  most  intense  and 
agonizing  pain.  In  his  hand  he  held  an  apple, 
from  which  he  seemed  to  derive  vigor  by  in- 
haling its  sweetness.  His  visitors  were  fright- 
ened at  the  terrible  sight  which  he  presented. 
But  as  they  drew  near,  they  found  his  coun- 
tenance serene,  and  he  gave  manifestations  of 
joy  at  seeing  them.  They  said  to  him :  Sir, 
when  we  first  saw  you  we  were  overcome 


/. 


lO 


II 


with    fear,   because  wc    thought  you   were 
afflicted   with   an  inflammatory  disease,  and 
had  lost  all  your  vigor.     But  now  that  wc 
find  you  so  cheerful  and  in  such  good  spirits, 
our  lost  courage  is  regained."     The  philoso- 
pher smiled  and  said  :  **  Do  not  attribute  my 
cheerfulness  to  the  fact  that  I  have  recovered 
from  a  dangerous  illness,  because  I  am  well 
aware  that  I  must  die,  as  I  have  no  strength 
left  to  overcome  this  violent  pain,  and  were  it 
not  for  this  apple,  whose  ajj^reeable  flavor  re- 
freshes  and   animates   me   a  little,  I  should 
have  yielded  this  life  ere  now.     But  the  ani- 
mal soul,  which  is  combined  with  the  intel- 
lectual soul,  has  a  longing  desire  for  the  rich 
flavor.     I  am   alternating  from   gladness  to 
sadness  and  from  sadness  to  gladness  as  I  am 
departing   from   a   world   of  antitheses  and 
eternal  change.*    The  four  elements  of  wliich 
everything  exists  are  entirely  opposite  ;  the 
one  is  cold,  the  other  warm  ;  the  one  dry, 
the  other  moist  ;  consequently,  how  can  the 


body  exist  which  is  created  of  these  four  ele- 
ments and  spare  its  life  even  for  a  moment  ? 
Where  these  elements  counterpoise  each 
other,  so  long  as  the  equilibrium  lasts,  so 
long  does  life  continue  to  exist.  No  sooner 
does  one  element  gain  the  sway  than  the  body 
falls  >5ick.  and  disease  and  infirmity  are  en- 
gendered. The  skilful  physician  who  under- 
stands the  disease  will  recognize  the  weak- 
ened element  and  use  his  efforts  to  strengthen 
it,  and  at  the  same  time  will  endeavor  to  re- 
duce the  mastery  of  its  opposite,  thus  estab- 
lishing an  equilibrium,  and  restore  the  body 
to  its  natural  state  of  good  health.  Yet  how 
many  physicians  are  there  who  are  unable  to 
detect  the  weakened  element,  and  who 
through  ignorance  increase  its  infirmity,  de- 
stroy the  body  and  produce  death. 

The  rational  soul  which  sways  and  rules 
man,  to  which  the  vegetable  and  animal  souls 
are  subordinated,  is  not  composed  of  the 
four  elements,  but  consists  of  another  simple 


I 


12 


J 


spiritual  substance,  s  This  rational  soul  knows 
and  discriminates  between  good  and  evil, 
furthermore,  that  two  things  which  equal  a 
third  one  are  equal  to  one  another.  Again, 
that  three  is  an  uneven  and  four  an  even  num- 
ber ;  it  knows  also  its  creator  and  itself, 
and  this  soul  is  peculiar  to  man  and  not  to 
any  other  mortal  being.  The  other  soul, 
(spiritual  power,)  memory,  that  retains  ideas 
in  man  which  would  otherwise  be  forgotten 
by  him.  A  third  spiritual  power  is  imagi- 
nation, which  conjures  up  the  invisible  and 
seems  to  penetrate  the  horoscope  of  the  fu- 
ture. Thus  a  person  may  think  himself  else- 
where from  his  real  position  in  his  imagina- 
tion. It  is  the  same  power  which  permits 
man  to  penetrate  the  future. 

The  fourth  is  the  inventive  faculty  of  man, 
which  finds  ample  illustration  in  the  handi- 
work of  weavers,  knitters  and  the  like.  And 
were  it  not  for  the  fact  that  this  is  an  incon- 
venient time  to  dwell  long  on  these  subjects, 


»■'  ^mJtf^T'^y^^^ggi 


13 


i' 


I  would  elucidate  them  one  after  the  other, 
and  show  you  their  practical  advantages. 

Simas,  one  of  the  savans,  then  said  :  Sir, 
you  have  ever  been  kind  to  us  and  taught  us 
many  sciences.  Grant  us  the  favor  now  of 
invigorating  our  hearts  even  as  yours  is  invig- 
orated, so  that  we  may  not  be  afraid  to  meet 
death,  and  that  the  distress  which  is  common 
to  all  mortals  when  they  are  about  to  be  called 
away  from  this  life  (because  they  know  not 
their  destination  nor  the  result  of  all  their 
hopes)  may  never  trouble  us.  You  will  there- 
by benefit  us  twofold  :  First,  you  will  instruct 
us  and  strengthen  our  courage,  and,  second- 
ly, we  will  be  able  to  banish  all  uneasiness, 
affliction  and  sadness  over  your  loss,  if  we 
know  that  you  repose  and  have  eternal  peace 
after  your  death. 

Aristotle  replied  :  I  will  lead  you  in  the 
right  way  and  instruct  you  in  a  manner  that 
you  can  comprehend  the  truth  of  my  words, 
although  the  task  is  already  a  burden  to  me. 


r 


/ 


14 


15 


However,  I  will  smell  the  pleasing  scent  of 
this  apple  to  refresh  myself  and  revivify  my 
weakened  spiritual  powers.  This  will  enable 
me  to  finish  all  that  I  desire  to  communicate 
to  you.  and  I  will  feel  rewarded  if  I  can  make 
you  understand  thoroughly  this  highly  im- 
portant topic. 

Upon  concluding  this  speech,  all   the   dis- 
ciples arose  and  kissed  his  forehead. 

Artistotle  then  proceeded  as  follows  :  I 
will  first  ask  a  question  :  Do  you  acknowl- 
edge and  believe  that  philosophy  which  con 
tains  all  sciences  is  true,  and  that  he  who  ar- 
dently searches  for  truth  and  right,  looks  out 
for  the  highest  degree  of  moral  perfection— 
the  divine  nature,  and  further,  that  even  by 
this  men  are  distinguished  from  all  other 
creatures  ?  They  answered  :  We  are  forced 
to  acknowledge  that  this  is  so.  He  then  con- 
tinued :  If  it  be  so,  as  you  admit,  will  the 
benefit  which  man  derives  from  knowledge, 
and  the  higher  rank  which  he  gains  by  it,  be 
bestowed  upon  him  entirely  in  this  world,  or 


will  he  also  enjoy  the  fruits  of  such  knowl- 
edge and  rank  after  death  in  another  world  I 
Do  you  intend  to  maintain   before   you  die 
that  you   have  not   bestowed  the  degree  of 
eminence  upon  this  science  which  really  be- 
longs to  it  ?  There  are  many  foolish  men  who 
err  and  stray  from  the  right  path,  refuse  to 
listen  to  any  correction,  do  not  want  to  know 
their  Creator,  and  yet  all  their  days  and  years 
in  this  sublunary  sphere  are  spent  in  pleasure 
and   fraught   with   good  luck  ;  while  on  the 
other  hand  many  wise  men,  who  love  knowl- 
edge, accept  instruction  and  information  wil- 
lingly, and  seek  to  know  their  Creator,  have 
neither  happiness  nor  welfare.   But  if  you  are 
startled  and   frightened   at   death,   which  is 
only  a  means  to  separate  the  soul^  from  the 
body  in  order  to  attach    itself  to  God  and  to 
associate  with  the  sainted   wise  spirits,    then 
you  have  not  ascribed  a  high  value  to  the 
science,  and  you  will  perish  like  the  animal 
soul  in  other  creatures. 


MfctMniK^ 


i6 


17 


I  will  ask  you  another  question :  Do  yott 
know  that  death  is  a  separation  of  the  soul 
from  the  body  ?  His  visitors  answered  :  That 
is  so.  Aristotle  then  asked:  Why  do  you  ap- 
pear so  dejected  ?  Are  you  not  glad  that  you 
have  acquired  some  learning,  or  is  it  because 
you  have  not  acquired  still  more  ?  They  re- 
sponded: It  is  the  latter  reason  which  causes 
this  dejection  among  us. 

Now,  then,  if  it  is  as  has  been  said,  you  must 
then  plainly  acknowledge  that  the  body  can 
neither  see  nor  hear  nor  comprehend  anything 
without  the  power  of  the  soul  which  dwells  in 
it  during  life ;  but  the  body  itself,  which  has  a 
longing  for  eating  and  drinking,  and  for  amuse- 
ments, is  a  hinderance  to  the  soul  to  acquire 
the  great  preferences.  When  the  soul  separ- 
ates from  the  body,  however,, it  parts  with  that 
which  prevented  its  perfection.  I  have  al« 
ready  explained  to  you  that  the  precious  wise 
doctrines  are  attainable  to  man  only  when 
his  soul  stands  upon  the  high  moral  perfection, 


where  it  is  pure  and  blameless  and  cleansed 
from  all  sensual  and  low  desires,  and  with- 
drawn from  impurity  m  which  it  was  con 
fined  ;  because  such  a  one  is  of  terrestiial 
origin  which  aspires  merely  to  sensual  pleas- 
ures, to  eating  and  drinking  like  other  crea- 
tures which  are  irrational,  and  therefore  they 
cannot  control  their  instinct  and  lust.  But 
when  man  stands  on  high  eminence  he  aug- 
ments his  spiritual  treasure,  he  controls  him- 
self and  represses  unlawful  inclinations  and 
despises  carnal  pleasures  by  which  he  contam- 
inates himself.  He  loves  pure  spiritual 
enjoyments,  while  he  is  zealously  studying 
that  science  which  brought  him  to  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  Almighty  God  who  created  the 
world  with  His  sublime  wisdom,  whose  ways 
he  endeavors  to  investigate,  and  through 
which  his  mind's  eye  becomes  clear  sighted 
and  many  mysteries  unveil  themselves  ;  his 
soul  is  filled  up  with  joy  that  differs  from  all 
sensual   pleasures,   for  sensual   pleasures  die 


t 


IS 


)i 


immediately  after  they  have  been  partaken  of 
and  dissolve  in  nothing  ;  yes,  they  untimely 
ruin  the  body  and  plunge  the  body  into  a  pre- 
mature grave.   But  the  enjoyments  of  the  soul 
consist  in  that  it  learns  to  know  its  Creator,  in 
beholding  the  wonderful  creations  in  heaven, 
the  circular  motion  of  the  spheres,  their  ar- 
rangement, and  how  everything  was  founded 
in  wisdom.     He,  however,  who  is  not  so  far 
advanced  in  sciences  so  as  to  be  able  to  con- 
ceive such   beautiful  and  sublime  ideas,  be- 
holds himself,  the  artful  structure  of  his  limbs, 
the  number  of  the  nerves  of  motion  and  mus- 
cles which  give  to  the  body  the  proper  move- 
ment when  it  alters  its  place  or  when  it  is  in 
a  state  of  rest,  the  power  or   faculties  which 
the  Creator  bestowed  on  each  limb  separately 
to  render  some  service,  and  that  none  is  too 
much  and  none  too  little,  then  he  will  be  able 
to  comprehend  his  Creator  in  spirit  and  will, 
and   at  the   same  time   understand   that  all 
human  knowledge  is  but  a  defective  and  de- 


it 


\i 


19 


spicable  patchwork.  But  the  soul  of  the 
zealous  philosopher  who  endeavors  to  conceive 
all  these  sciences  is  faultless  and  honest,  his 
soul  feels  neither  sorrow  nor  pain  when  it 
parts  from  the  body,  which  prevents  it  from 
completely  satisfying  its  desires  and  wishes. 

Vou  observe  now.  that  a  real  philosopher 
who  is  morally  pure  and  virtuous,  kills  his 
delight  in  worldly  pleasures,  for  instance  in 
eating  and  drinking,  in  garments,  and  in  mer- 
ry things,  in  treasures  of  gold  and  silver;  and 
he  abhors  all  enjoyments  which  ruin  body 
and  soul. 

He,  however,  who  suffers  himself  to  be 
hurried  away  in  such  a  manner  by  sensual 
lust,  by  eating  or  drinking  to  excess,  destroys 
his  body,  and  becomes  weak  and  sick  ;  be- 
cause the  excess  in  eating  and  drinking  in- 
creases many  fluid  elements  which  originate 
in  the  body,  to  bear  a  certain  proportion  to 
each  other,  and  which  are  absolutely  necessary 
for  the  existence  of  the  body.     One  element, 


,v 


20 


21 


the  blood,  the  source  ot  life,  is  warm  and 
moist  y  a  second  element,  a  dark  fluid,  is  cold 
and  dry;  the  tiiird  one  is  a  white  fluid,  cold 
and  humid,  (brains  and  spinal  marrow). 
Each  of  them  increases  or  decreases  by  the 
different  food.  And  just  so,  he  wlio  suffers 
himself  to  indulge  to  excess  his  animal  pro- 
pensity, weakens  his  body  and  ruins  himself. 
But  the  wise  man  spoken  of,  despises  all 
such  pleasures,  and  endeavors  to  make  him- 
self perfect,  in  order  to  conceive  his  Creator 
who  produced  everything  out  of  nothing,  and 
thus  he  looks  at  death  cheerfully  ;  for  he  sees 
in  it  only  a  separation  of  the  soul  from  the 
body.  For  what  advantages  does  life  offer 
him  after  he  has  killed  in  himself  all  the  low 
and  base  inclinations  ?  Would  he  not  rather 
hail  with  delight  the  time  when  his  spirit 
draws  finally  nearer  to  his  Creator,  to  enjoy 
happiness  in  the  reflective  splendor  of  His 
glory  ?  He  need  not  be  afraid  to  go  there 
for  he  will  And  no  obstacle  in  his  way  to  im- 


h 


I 


pede  him  and  turn  him  back,  as  will  be  the 
case  of  those  who  hunt  after  vanity  and 
empty  pursuits,  who  did  not  make  their  way 
and  facilitate  it  ;  these  dare  not  go  near  there, 
and  alone  will  find  obstacles  to  repel  them. 
Hence  you  who  maintain  to  be  wise  and  learn- 
ed, who  despise  all  earthly  pleasures  as  you 
are  obliged  to  do,  why  do  you  fear  and  recoil 
at  death  ?  If  the  root  is  already  agreeable  to 
you  how  much  more  so  must  be  the  fruit  ? 

The  wise  Simias  then  exclaimed  :  Sir, 
thou  hast  made  death  very  desirable  to  us, 
although  we  dreaded  it  before.  Then  Mil- 
on  spoke :  Until  now  I  was  afraid  of  death, 
and  now  I  abhor  a  too  long  life.  To  which 
Kriton  made  answer  :  Why  do  you  fear  a 
long  life  ?  If  you  love  and  look  for  death, 
you  will  find  it  ;  it  will  not  withdraw  from 
you.  The  other  responded ;  Such  an  ob- 
jection is  not  becoming  a  wise  man  as  you 
are  ;  for  although  I  by  no  means  fear  death, 
I  dare  not  nevertheless  look  for  it,  before  it 


22 


23 


appears  ;  because  man  must  use  life  in  order 
to   strive  upward    and    to    attain  the  highest 
possible   perfection.       He    teaches   and   in- 
structs himself,  so  that  he  can  penetrate  into 
the   spirit   o!   philosophy  and  arrive   at  the 
knowledge  of  his  Creator.     He  learns  every 
effect  must  have  its  cause   and  every  motion 
its   motive   power,    until    he   comes   by  his 
wisdom  to  God,  the  First  Cause,  who  called 
the  world  into  existence  out  of  nothing,  and 
.  who  is  the  beginning  of  all.     The  whole  uni- 
verse cannot  fill  Him   up   and   the  thinking 
spirit  cannot  comprehend  Him.     In  His  wis- 
dom He  has  created  seven  heavens  (spheres); 
in  each  heaven  he  put  stars  with   luminous 
light  and  invested   them  with  power  to  rule 
over  our  sublunary  world,  and  granted  them 
the  authority  to  give  good  and  evil,  wealth, 
glory,  poverty,  and  disgrace;  and  all  this  un- 
der the  sway  of  thuir  Guide  and  Leader. 

The   astrologer  who  perceived   the   influ- 
ence of  the  planets,  believed  they  had  an  ab- 


U 


h 


solute  sovereign  power  and  dominion,  adorn- 
ed them  as  deities  and  worshiped  them,  be- 
ing of  the  opinion  that  all  which  is  occasioned 
by  the  planets  proceeds  from  their  own  sov- 
ereignty,  and  that  they  rule  by  their  indepen- 
dent  authority. 

Thus   the  ancient  savans   allowed  images 
to   be  made  of  the  planets,  which  they  wor- 
shiped as  Jupiter.  Astarte,  etc.     They  over- 
looked  the  real  first  cause  and  origin  of  all, 
and  every  one- according  to  his   pleasuie  se^ 
lected  a  star  to  worship,  e,^.,  the  sun,  moon, 
etc.     These  men  had  not  the  understanding 
that  the  effort  and  course  of  the  stars  are  al- 
ways fixed  and  happen  in  an  invariable  man- 
ner, that  their  order  is  not  changed,  and  that 
they  cannot  deviate  from   their  innate  laws  ; 
they   must    rather    move   according   to   the 
power  granted  them,  and  that   a  strong  will 
leads  them  from  East  to  West  and  from  West 
to  East  without  opposition.     The  stars  obey 
the  will  like  slaves;  nor  are  they  at  liberty  to 


\ 


\ 


24 


25 


A 


decline  or  deviate  from  their  course.  Their 
motion  and  course  do  not  originate  in  a  free 
power  which  is  determined  in  them  ;  but  the 
higher  sphere  is  their  guide  and  leader.  In 
this  highest  sphere  was  but  the  power  of 
God,  who  made  it  and  bestowed  understand- 
ing upon  it,  as  is  asserted  in  the  books  of  the 
philosophers  who   penetrated   and  fathomed 

these  sciences. 

This  error  was   adopted  by  all   men    until 
Noah   appeared,  the    first   of  the  enquirers, 
who  considered  this  subject  and  succeeded  in 
gaining  a  deep  insight  into  it  and  learned  his 
Creator.     He  comprehended,  that  there  must 
be  a  first  beginning  and  a  supreme  leader  to 
and  o<*  everything,  in  whom  the  greatest  wis- 
dom and  all  sublime  and  excellent  properties 
are   innate.     Many   generations    after  Noah 
lived  the  patriarch  Abraham,  the  most  pro- 
found thinker  of  all.  for  he  found  out,  that  all 
his  contemporaries  were  sunk   in   '•rror   and 
idolatry.     He  conceived  God  to  be  the  Gov- 


t 


crnor  and  Supreme  Leader  of  sun,  moon  and 
stars,  and  that  obedience  to  Him,  is  better 
than  the  sacrificing  of  human  beings  to  plan- 
ets. He  did  not  follow  the  example  of  his 
father  Terach  who  worshiped  the  idol  Janus, 
(a  picture  of  the  moon)  in  the  city  of  Haran 
and  to  whom  the  people  sacrificed  their  chil- 
dren  as  burnt  offerings,  in  honor  of  their 
God. 

Because  Abraham  renounced  their  soci- 
ety and  laid  aside  their  usages  and  customs, 
they  called  him  the  philosopher. 

Whosoever  has  advanced  to  such  a  high 
degree  of  philosophical  knowledge,  as  did  the 
patriarch  Abraham,  may  wish  that  death  be 
near  to  him.  I  have,  however,  not  yet  at- 
tained this  high  and  sublime  degree,  and 
therefore  do  not  wish  that  death  be  near  to 
me,  but  wait  until  I  reach  it.  Perhaps 
when  death  does  come  I  shall  have  acquired 
such  a  degree  of  excellence. 
Thereupon  Aristotle  said  to  Kriton  :     Mi- 


m 


^ 


26 


21 


Ion's  answer  has  my  full  approbation.  I  ap- 
preciate his  words  very  highly,  and  must  say 
that  he  answered  you  with  true  wisdom.  I 
treasure  his  remarks  and  praise  his  science 
and  understanding. 

Another  one  of  his  disciples,  Aristoxenus 
by  name,  said  to  him  :  Show  us  further- 
more thy  great  favor  by  teaching  us,  how  we 
can  acquire  a  philosophy  which  possesses 
such  excellent  qualifications  that  it  leads  man 
out  of  the  darkness  of  stupidity  and  obscuri- 
ty, and  out  of  folly  to  the  light  of  wisdom 
and  the  effulgent  lustre  of  real  knowledge. 

The  sage  responded:  **  Whoever  desires  to 
understand  philosophy  must  read,  study  and 
learn  diligently  the  first  eight  books  which  I 
composed,  until  he  comes  to  the  book  De 
Anima,  (Of  the  Soul).  By  this  method  he 
will  know  and  comprehend  how  the  soul  ex- 
ists in  the  body,  its  state,  its  abode  and  na- 
ture, whether  the  soul  is  confined  and  impris 
soned   in  the  body  ;  whether  it  is  created  at 


the  same  time  with  the  body,  or  was  former- 
ly created  and  then  made  to  live  in  the  body. 
Why  it  is  invisible  to  the  eye.  Whether  it 
will  resurrect  again  after  departing  from  the 
body,  or  be  annihilated  with  it.  When  he 
thus  knows  the  powers  of  his  soul,  he  will 
then  comprehend  also  his  Creator  ;  he  will 
walk  in  the  straight  path  without  deviating 
therefrom  either  to  the  right  or  left, — and  this 
is  the  highest  degree  of  excellence  attainable 
by  man.  Now  I  have  shown  you  the  way  to 
truth  without  deviating  therefrom  discour- 
aged, but  made  it  obvious  to  you  ;  because 
the  doctrines  which  teach  what  is  right  and 
true  do  not  lie  or  deceive  by  words.  Know, 
thererefore,  that  he,  who  despises  sensual 
enjoyments  and  stores  the  mind  with  philoso- 
phical knowledge,  knows  the  superiority  of 
the  soul  over  the  body,  but  if,  notwithstand- 
ing, he  is  afraid  and  horror-stricken  as  soon 
as  death  approaches,  his  knowledge  is  so 
much  patch-work  and  he  is  still  far  from  the 


i 


I 


28 


sustaining  goal  of  philosophy,  and  exposes 
himself  to  the  derision  of  all.     But  he,  who 
follows  the  way  of  a  truly  wise  man,  controls 
his   passions  and   propensities,  trusts   in  his 
Creator,     despises     the    evil,    chooses    the 
good    and   fears   not    death,    deserves    the 
name  of  a  true  sage.     To    whom,  however, 
death  appears    horrible  in  spite  of  his  stu- 
dies, to  him  philosophy  offers  no  advantage, 
because   it  failed  to    yield    him  fruit.       For 
this    reason,    the    kind    Creator    permitted 
wise  men   and  inspired  savans  to  arise,  that 
they  may  work   for  the  welfare  of  man  and 
instruct    the    illiterate  who  cannot   compre- 
hend and  conceive  their  Creator  by  their  own 
reflection,  but  only  as  they  were   taught   in 
their  youth,  which  may  be  good  or  evil.     If 
they  take   the  right  path   it  will  be  inerad- 
icably  impressed  upon  them,  so  that  they  will 
never  deviate  from   it,  and  just  so  will   be 
the  fate  of  those  who  have  chosen  a  crooked, 
unbeaten  waypath.     The  difference  between 


I 


'( 


f 


29 


followers  in  the  straight   path   and  those  in 
the  crooked  path  is  very  great. 

But    the    former,    although    in   the   right' 
path,  were  there  more  on  account  of  the  fact 
that  they  were  led   there,  than  through  any 
conception  of  their  own  ideas. 

Then  there  is  another  class  of  men  whose 
understanding  and  reason  are  powerful 
enough  to  enable  them  to  walk  in  the  straight 
path,  but  their  spirit  grows  inert  when  the 
body  falls  sick,  and  thus  their  progress  is: 
impeded. 

s 

And  these  philosophers  are  divided  into  two 
classes  :  one  maintains  that  the  universe  has 
neither  a  beginning  nor  an  end.  Nothing  is 
created  anew  in  the  sublunary  world.  Gener- 
ations  come  and  generations  go,  and  the 
world  will  remain  the  same  forever,  and  has 
neither  guide  nor  leader.  These  philosophers 
are  atheists. 

The   other  class  maintains  that  there  is  a 
first  cause  ;  but  that  the  soul  is  created  out 


1 


I 


30 


of  the  body,  and  as  long  as  the  body  exists 
the  soul  is  in  a  great  tumult.  They  give  the 
following  evidence  of  their  statement:  A 
child  whose  body  is  still  feeble  comprehends 
and  understands  very  little  until  its  body  is 
more  solid  and  stronger.  Were  the  soul  of  a 
foreign  origin,  without  being  of  the  body,  why 
should  it  be  hindered  from  occupying  at  once 
its  high  position,  and  why  is  it  prevented 
from  using  its  functions  when  the  body  falls 
sick  and  becomes  foolish,  loses  its  reason 
and  becomes  crazy?  And  so  also  is  the 
work  of  the  Creator  and  His  infinite  wisdom 
comprehensible  to  them,  by  the  wonderful 
conformation  of  the  limbs  and  veins  of  the 
human  body. 

I  have  explained  all  this  in  the  books 
which  I  have  composed,  and  where  you  will 
also  find  a  thorough  and  complete  refutation 
of  the  two  opinions. 

And  all  the  persons  present  asked:  Sir, 
which  is  the  most  important  knowledge  that 


31 


man  should  acquire  in  order   to   reach   the 
highest  pinnacle  of  wisdom  and  virtue  ? 

Aristotle  responded  :     There  is  no  knowl- 
edge  like  that  of  philosophy,  for  this  enlight- 
ens the  mind   and   leads    man   through  this 
world  in  probity  and  virtue,  and  thus  he  ob- 
tains  future   happiness    and    bliss   in    both 
worlds.  7     My  first  eight  books  treat  on  the 
fundamental   ideas  of  all  sciences  which  are 
accessible  to  man.     He  can  comprehend  the 
causes  and  evidences  which  are  given  there, 
and  be  enabled  to  judge  between  those  which 
are  strong  and  unassailable,  and  those  which 
are  not  right  and  do  not  represent  the  truth. 
These  sophistic  evidences  which  appear  to  be 
near  the  truth,  are  not  true  at  all,  but  are 
only  useful,  as  the    Creator,    praised   be  His 
name,  wanted  to  show,  in  the  clearest  light, 
the  power   of  true    oratory  in  opposition  to 
sophistry.     By  this  the  true  sage  can  weaken 
and  refute  the  statements  of  the  sophists,  and 
is  able  to  give  by  his  wisdom  such  weighty, 


zx 


32 


33 


I 


cogent  proofs,  so  that  the  sophists  are  left 
without  the  power  of  opposition  and  refuta- 
tion. 

The  advantage  of  sophistry  to  philosophy 
is  to  be  likened  to  the  use  of  the  flesh  of  the 
viper  in  medicine:  although  it  be  poison,  it 
diminishes,  mitigates  and  heals  pain. 

It  is  therefore  the  duty  of  the  philosopher 
to  understand  such  kind  of  demonstration,  so 
that  he  may  not,  through  ignorance,  succumb 
to  the  phrases  of  sophists,  but  be  on  the  alert 
to  discover  the  places  where  he  is  liable  to 
fall  into  error. 

These  books  treat  on  all  sciences  in  a 
general  way.  I  have  also  composed  another 
book,  called  Metaphj'sic.  In  this  book,  I 
treat  on  the  spheres  of  heaven  and  the  circu- 
lar movement  of  the  stars,  who  in  their  nature 
are  unlike  sublunary  things  and  of  a  sub- 
limer  kind,  but  we  have  not  the  power  and 
ability  to  conceive  them. 

The  rational  soul,  however,  originates  and 


comes  from  there,  has  its  abode  in  our  body, 
is  an  entirety,  and  not  composed  of  different 
parts,  of  a  simple  nature  and  faultless. 

Happy  is  the  soul  which  has  not  contami- 
nated  itself  and  which  comprehends  its  Crea- 
tor,  for  it  returns  to  the  place  of  its  origin, 
joyful  and  blissful. 

But  woe  to  the  sinful  soul.  It  is  not  al- 
lowed to  return  to  its  place  of  origin,  because 
it  is  loaded  with  mean,  sensual  pleasures 
which  impede  and  prevent  its  flight 

When  the  Sage  concluded,  his  hands  be- 
came weak,  the  apple  dropped  from  them, 
the  paleness  of  death  overspread  his  face,  and 
he  expired. 

His  disciples  arose,  bent  over  and  kissed 
him.  weeping  bitterly.  They  exclaimed : 
He  who  receives  the  souls  of  the  philoso- 
phers,  may  He  also  receive  thy  spirit,  and 
place  it  where  it  behooves  a  pious  and  vir- 
tuous man. 


Translator's  Notes. 


■II 


h 


i 
f 

*• 


■e       \ 


(i.— Page  2).  Sophists  6o<pi6rai  were  a  class  of 
literati  before  and  at  the  time  of  Socrates,  who 
boasted  of  possessing  all  kinds  of  sciences  and 
arts,  and  who  were  not  in  search  of  truth,  but  the 
appearance  of  it 

They  mastered  all  men's  minds  by  a  winsome 
and  admirable  eloquence,  and  understood  how, 
by  fallacious  and  plausible  reasoning  to  give  the 
appearance  of  truth  to  views,  however  erroneous. 
Their  agreeable  and  seductive  method  of  argu- 
ment  gained  great  applause  for  their  doctrines 
and  tenets  among  the  young  men  of  Greece,  who 
thronged  the  public  places  to  hear  them.  (Vide 
Xenophon  Mem.  S.  I.  6  13.)  Men,  who  for 
money  taught  their  wisdom,  are  called  Sophists. 

They  spoke  extempore  on  any  subject,  and  as 
Cicero  narrates,  they  called  for  suggestions  of 


i 


*  VWI'lUMJIVlpM 


II 


! 

! 

i 

1, 

i 

M 

i« 


I 


II 


36 


themes  and  problems  upon  which  to  speak  at 
another  time. 

Plato,  Cicero  and  Gellius  did  not  praise  them, 
because  they  denied  the  existence  of  a  Divine 
Being,  and  freed  men  from  all  social  duties  and 
obligations,  and  because  they  had  been  and  were 
solicitous  to  use  their  power  to  shake  the  stead- 
fastness of  knowledge,  to  confound  the  ideas  of 
right  and  wrong,  virtue  and  vice,  and  the  moral 
judgment  by  dialectical  paralogism.  In  declar- 
ing what  was  right  or  wrong,  they  would  some- 
times take  one  view,  then  again  the  directly 
opposite,  according  to  the'r  interest.  Instead 
of  being  instructors  of  wisdom,  they  were  merely 
dialecticians  and  cavilers  who  made  nobody  any 
wiser  or  better.  By  the  spirit  of  public  med- 
itation which  they  agitated  when  they  put  ques- 
tions  as  e.  g.,  is  it  possible  that  virtue  can  be 
taught,  they  paralyzed  the  power  of  moral  sense. 

They  busied  themselves  with  useless  and  idle 
speculations,  such  as,  how  came  the  universe  into 
existence,  cosmogony,  etc.,  (Vide  Xenophon 
Mem.  S.  I.  I,  II.),  and  thus  confused  the  minds 


mm  g"^— ^— ^P^M 


\ 


37 


of  their  pupils  by  their  chimeras  and  illusions. 

Socrates,  who  did  not  interlace  his  philosophy 
with  anything  except  that  which  was  in  immedi- 
ate relation  to  practical  life,  was  therefore  their 
mortal  enemy;  because  all  their  investigations 
were  necessarily  amply  interwoven  with  sophisms,' 
fallacious  conclusions  and  contradictions,  and 
produced  just  the  contrary  effect  which  he  in- 
tended, namely,  to  enlighten  the  minds  and  im- 
prove the  hearts  of  his  hearers.  (Vide  Cicero, 
Brut.  8,  32,85,  292).  The  word  <Soq>i6Tv  how- 
ever, had  at  first  a  very  honorable  signification, 
and  was  used  with  the  word  <?o<?>o?  in  a  more 
comprehensive  sense  to  designate  a  wise  man,  a 
scholar. 

Since  the  time  of  Protagoras  of  Abdera,  444 
B.  C,  the  word  sophist  has  been  used  in  an 
odious  sense,  which  has  been  preserved  until 
now. 

(2. — Page  7).  The  soul  cannot  be  compared 
with  the  black  color  and  the  light  which  consist 
only  in  the  composition  of  the  different  ingredi- 
ents.     The  quality  which  is  produced  by  the 


38 


fi 

.'•4 

n- 


composition,  is  not  real,  but  an  appearance,  an 
effect  which  such  composed  ingredients  have 
upon  our  senses  which  we  are  unable  to  dissolve. 
The  power  of  thinking,  the  soul,  is  not  and  can- 
not be  of  this  kind.  All  its  qualities  are  effects 
which  presupposes  it.  Or  as  Plotinus  correctly 
maintains:  matter  cannot  think  and  out  of  un- 
thinking parts  cannot  be  composed  a  thinking 
whole. 

(3. — Page  8).  In  the  same  strain  it  reads  in 
the  third  dialogue  of  Plato's  Phaedon:  How  mis- 
erable is  the  fate  of  a  mortal  who  deprives  him- 
self of  a  consolatory  expectation  of  a  future  state 
by  unfortunate  sophisms!  He  must  not  meditate 
on  his  being,  but  must  live  in  stupor  and  despair. 

What  is  more  terrible  to  the  human  soul  than 
annihilation  ? 

And  who  can  be  more  wretched  than  the  man 
who  sees  it  advancing  upon  him  with  rapid  strides, 
and  who  has  previously  felt  and  experienced  it 
in  the  unabatable  fear  anticipating  it  ?  In  for- 
tunate circumstances  the  shocking  thoughts  of 
nihilty  creep  between  delicious  pleasures  like  a 


1 


39 


snake  between  flowers,  and  poisons  the  enjoyment 
of  life;  and  in  distress  robs  life  of  the  only  con- 
solatory hope  which  soothes  man's  misery,  the 
hope  of  a  better  future.  Yes,  the  idea  of  an  ap- 
proaching non-entity  militates  so  much  against 
the  nature  of  the  human  soul,  that  we  cannot  re- 
concile it  with  its  next  consequences,  and  whither- 
soever we  may  direct  our  thoughts,  we  come  to 
a  thousand  absurdities  and  contradictions. 

(4- — Page  10).  It  is  an  ancient  erroneous  idea, 
that  our  globe  consists  of  four  elements.  The 
Philosopher  Thales  who  was  born  at  Miletus,  in 
Greece  640  B.  C,  and  who  studied  at  the  schools 
of  the  Egyptian  priests,  opened  a  school  at  his 
birth-place  and  taught  that  water  is  the  primeval 
source  of  all  substances.  Pherecydes  was  of 
opinion  that  the  earth  was  the  parent  of  all 
things  contained  in  the  world.  Heraclit  ascribed 
the  parentage  to  fire,  and  Anixemenes  to  air. 
Other  philosophers  maintained  that  all  in  this 
world  is  composed  of  three  elements,  while  Plato, 
born  in  the  year  434  B.  C,  contended  that  the 
foundation  of  everything  in    this  world  are  the 


40 


¥■ 


\i  V 


I 


four  elements,  fire,  air,  earth  and  water. 

This  fallacious  idea  was  adopted  by  all  civilized 
nations  until  the  thirteenth  century.  We  know 
now  positively  through  the  aid  of  chemistry  that 
there  are  about  sixty  elements. 

(5, — Page  12).  The  power  of  the  soul  and 
that  of  the  body  vary  from  each  other  in  this,  that 
the  sole  power  is  simple  and  indivisible,  and 
therefore  can  not  be  destroyed,  while  the  body  is 
in  a  process  of  decay  and  dies.  The  soul  can  not 
be  killed  by  a  natural  force. 

'  (6. — Page  15).  The  ideas  of  the  non-existence 
of  a  human  soul,  and  that  the  human  power  of 
reason  is  merely  a  faculty  produced  by  an  art- 
fully composed  matter  or  by  a  fine  organization 
and  a  wonderful  harmony  which  prevails  among 
all  the  parts  of  the  body,  were  and  are  refuted  by 
both  ancient  and  modern  philosophers:  They  say: 
The  human  intellect,  the  self-consciousness,  or 
ego  suniy  is  not  a  corporeal  but  a  simple  indi- 
visible substance,  called  soul;  because  its  thinking 
and  volition  are  in  it  and  not  scattered  in  several 
things.     It  is  a  self-subsisting  independent  power 


k 


41 


\ 


which  gathers  together  all  impressions  or  ideas, 
compares  one  thing  with  the  other  and  judges, 
concludes,  infers  and  syllogizes.  It  can  not  be 
destroyed  or  annihilated  ;  because  annihilation  of 
anything  means  dissolution  into  its  elementary 
parts,  as  the  soul  does  not  consist  of  parts  and  is 
merely  a  simple  substance,  it  consequently  has 
an  immortal  nature. 

(7-— Page  31).  Aristotle  refers  here  to  his 
work  which  he  wrote  on  the  human  soul.  The 
first  contains  a  history  and  criticisim  of  the  views 
about  the  human  soul  which  were  in  vogue  until 
his  time,  2,200  B.  C. 

In  the  second  book,  he  not  only  treats  on  the 
powers  of  the  human  soul,  but  also  on  the  per- 
ception of  the  senses,  which  theme  is  continued 
through  the  third  and  last  book,  up  to  chapter 
three,  where  he  begins  to  treat  on  the  power  of 
imagination  and  thinking,  etc. 


I 


I 


I 


Aphorisms. 


Aristotle  in  De  Anima,  Book  I,  chap.  4,  says  : 
"  Old  age  is  produced,  not  because  the  soul  has 
suffered  something,   no,   but  because  the  body 
wherein  it  dwells  has.     Thus  in  the  case  of  in- 
toxication or  suffering  from  any  sickness,  think- 
ing and  considering  become  weak  ;  while  some- 
thing in   the  body  perishes,  the   soul  itself  is 
never  injured."     It  is  something  divine.     IMem 
book  II.,  at  the  end  of  chap.  2,  he  says  :  When 
the  body  dies,  all  feeling,  remembrance  and  vo- 
lition are  gone  forever ;  because  they  do  not 
belong  to  the  intellect.     Aristotle  excludes  them 
all  from  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  and  differs 
from  Plato  in   that   respect ;  but  Spinoza  and 
Hegel  agree   with   Aristotle   in  this  view.     The 
rationality  of  the  soul  is  not,  according  to  Aris- 
totle, like  the  other  parts  of  the  soul,  the  reality 
of  the  body,  but  it  consists  in  itself,  is  separable, 


44 


4S 


and  therefore  is  not  annihilated  by  the  death  of 
the  body.  Socrates  taught :  The  soul  is  a  di- 
vine being  resembling  God.  It  draws  nearer  to 
God  through  reason  and  its  invisible  activity, 
and  is  therefore  immortal.     (Xenophon  Mem.  I. 

4,  §  8,  9,  4,  3»  etc.) 

Plato  maintained :  The  soul  is  an  external 
self  active  power.  He  continues  that  the  essence 
of  the  soul  belongs  to  the  world  of  invisibility, 
to  the  world  of  necessary  truism  of  the  Un- 
changeable, and  therefore  life  is  its  immutable 
necessary  quality,  and  is  indestructible. 

The  well-known  remarks  of  Socrates  at  the 
close  of  his  defence  before  his  judges  deserve  a 
place  here :  "  It  is  true,  we  must  retire  to  our 
offices,  you  to  live  and  I  to  die.  But  whether 
you  or  I  are  going  on  the  better  expedition  is 
known  to  God  only."    (Apol.  of  Soc,  28,  45,  47.) 

Aristotle  defines  the  soul  as  follows :  "  The 
soul  (an  organic  power)  is  the  first  perfect  reality 
of  a  living  natural  body  according  to  its  power^ 
and  of  such  a  one  that  has  organs. 

The  Stoics  considered  reason  as  nothing  else 


but  a  part  of  the  divine  spirit,  merged  in  a 
human  body,  so  that  human  souls  were  to  them 
certain  parts  of  God  or  evolutions  from  Him. 

Immanuel  Kant  (born  1724-died  1804)  main- 
tained that  the  ideas  of  liberty,  immortality  of 
the  soul,  and  the  God-head,  receive  value  and 
firmness  from  practical  ethics. 

Frederich  Heinrich  Jacobi  (born  1743-died 
1819)  taught  that  the  external  world  is  cognizant 
by  the  external  senses,  but  God,  providence, 
freedom,  immortality,  morality,  and,  in  one  word, 
the  intellectual  world,  is  perceived,  in  a  metaphys- 
ical sense,  the  organum  of  truth,  or  understanding. 

Jean  Paul  Friedrich  Richter  (born  1763-died 
1825)  says  in  the  book  entitled  Salnia,  page  156: 
Sleep  is  more  an  emblem  of  durability  than  of 
death,  and  exactly  so  is  a  swoon,  because  can 
there  be  a  livelier  resurrection  than  in  such 
cases,  where  the  soul  is  entirely  excluded  from 
the  sensual  world,  yea,  is  a  great  distance  re- 
moved from  its  own,  recovers  the  former  condi- 
tion id  esty  and  looks  into  the  world  and  con- 
ceives  with   an   undiminished   power  ?    Conse- 


■»>i^"* 


46 


47 


quently,  the  soul,  concerning  its  substance,  in 
spite  of  all  corporeal  limitation,  has  not  suffered 
or  lost  anything.  A  spirit  is  a  treasury  of  a 
whole  world,  an  abyss  of  a  simple  entity.  It  is 
admitted  that   God  is  the  highest  simple  spirit 

with  an  infinite  fulness. As  according  to  Blu- 

menbach,  the  foetus  has  all  the  traits  of  the  fu- 
ture, so  it  is  in  the  spirit. 

Evidence  of  Memory. 

What  is  it  which  really  receives  and  carries 
the  ever-growing  world  of  experiences  ?  Evi- 
dently the  names  of  cities  are  not  engraved  upon 
the  brain-globes,  as  if  they  were  globes  of  earth. 
Does  the  mass  of  soft,  small  balls  contain  a  col- 
lection of  dictionaries,  and  by  what  traces  can 
they  be  found,  for  the  brain  of  the  most  learned 
man  resembles  the  brain  of  the  most  illiterate  ? 
And  how  do  the  spiritual  order  and  connection 
originate  in  this  organic  broth  ?  As  the  optic 
nerve  deposits  all  its  pictures,  printed  words, 
etc.,  on  the  same  place  of  the  brain  in  tumultuous 
order,  there  must  be  a   reasonable  power  which 


I 

\ 


arranges  these  impressions  in  their  proper  order. 
But  does  the  spirit  possess  nothing  at  all  ?  He 
alone  is  and  has  all.  There  must  be  a  second 
ethereal  brain.  The  spirit  is  invisible  like  his 
word.  Is  not  the  highest  and  all  love  contained 
in  a  word  ?  Is  it  lost  when  the  air  which  carries 
it  is  gone  ? 

We  feel  it  when  we  'strain  our  brain  in  order 
to  bring  something  back  to  memory. 

Of  what  consists  the  contents  of  self-conscious- 
ness or  ego  sum,  I  am  ?  Take  away  from  it  all, 
that  IS,  all  thoughts,  and  it  has  nothing. 

We  wonder  at  our  forgetful ness,  why  not  at 
our  recollection  ?  What  has  transpired  in  the 
brains  ?  How  can  the  annihilated  corporeal  re- 
novate itself  ?  Or  was  it  only  suppressed,  and 
what  then  ?  Shall  this  communion  cease  at  once? 
If  the  remembrance  lives  within  the  brains,  what 
does  the  spirit  do  ?  Does  he  see  in  them  traces, 
and  how  does  he  know  they  are  old  ?  Does  it 
depend  on  his  will  to  recollect  itself  and  to  revive 
them  ?  Can  you  have  a  friend  without  a  beating 
of  the  heart,  can  you  be  angry  without  the  over- 


•ymmrmm 


■f 


48 


flowing  of  the  gall-bladder  ;  or  is  the  liver  the 
wrath  ?  We  notice  it  by  the  brain  and  its  relation 
to  the  memory  still  nearer,  because  it  happens 
oftener  and  in  trifling  things. 


Since  time  immemorial,  the  wisest  and  best 
men  rejected  as  untrue  the  idea  that  man  ceases 
to  be  after  death  a  free,  active,  self-conscious, 
rational  being  ;  but  in  order  not  to  become  tedi- 
ous, I  will  not  present  any  more  of  their  aphor- 
isms, but  will  rather  attempt  to  give  a  complete 
view  of  all  their  arguments  in  favor  of  the  im- 
mortality of  the  soul  : 

1.  Our  consciousness  tells  us  that  the  soul- 
power  is  not  a  composition  of  different  parts  of 
the  body,  but  is  a  simple  self-subsisting  being, 
entirely  different  from  the  body.  It  is  indivis- 
ible, and  cannot  be  annihilated  by  any  natural 
power,  and  consequently  cannot  be  annihilated 
by  the  death  of  the  body.  It  remains  in  exist- 
ence, and  will  continue  to  work. 

2.  Man  distinguishes  himself  essentially  from 


i<l 


^ 


ll 


49 


an  animal  by  natural  endowments,  namely : 
reason,  freedom,  and  feeling,  which  make  him 
capable  of  a  logical,  moral  and  aesthetic  perfec- 
tion. 

Man  does  not  depend  on  anything  corporeal, 
because  he  needs  education  and  culture,  which 
he  does  not  acquire  like  the  animal,  through 
a  full  growth  of  the  body. 

Nor  is  he  inclosed  within  bounds,  but  is  per- 
fectible ad  infinitum. 

An  animal  never  becomes  wiser,  stronger  or 
better,  and  shows  not  more  skill  in  any  perform- 
ance than  his  genus,  and  while  a  beast  or  plant 
remains  at  the  same  standpoint  where  nature 
put  it,  it  becomes  exactly  what  it  was  designed 
for. 

Man,  on  the  other  hand,  has  always  an  exces- 
sive desire  of  progressive  perfection,  the  end  of 
which  he  can  never  attain  in  this  world.  The 
wisest  of  men  dies  and  is  conscious  that  he  is 
but  a  tyro  in  all  sciences,  and  that  he  could  make 
unlimited  progress  should  he  be  placed  in  anoth- 
er world  ♦ 


so 


It  is  impossible  that  the  Creator  has  placed 
in  vain  such  indestructible  desire  into  man's 
heart.  There  must  be  a  second  or  future  life, 
where  all  the  powers  of  man  will  be  fully  devel- 
and  perfected.     The  whole  place  of  creation  in 

this  world  points  to  that. 

3.  It  is  evident  that  the  stars  or  the  worlds 
of  which  we  can  receive  only  a  glimpse  during 
the  night,  belong  together  in  a  physical  connec- 
tion ;  and  just  so  will  there  probably  be  a  cer- 
tain moral  connection  between  all  their  inhabi- 
tants, which  is  only  possible  if  man  were  im- 
mortal.  What  an  immense  scene  will  then  be 
presented  to  rational  beings  to  act  in,  for  pros- 
perity and  bliss. 

4.  The  animal  magnetism  proves  that  the 
soul  can  be  placed  in  a  spiritual  state,  where  it  is 
in  a  certain  independency  of  the  body,  and  in  a 
far  more  perfect  activity*  Vide  Jean  Paul,  Mu- 
seum, Stuttg.  Tiib.  1 81 4,  8. 


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